Blisters, Bears, and Bliss

Seeking Zen, Losing My Mind, & Finding Purpose While Thru-Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail

De: Yonatan 'Raven‘ Weiss

Narrado por: John William

What happens when a burnt-out techie professional ditches the comforts of modern life and hikes 2,650 miles across the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada? A head-on collision of midlife crisis and wilderness reality, where he’s never felt more alive.

Somewhere between blisters, bear poop, and resupply, it clicks. Those cryptic ideas of Zen and Taoism he skimmed almost two decades ago—about ‘simplicity’ and ‘attachment,’ the kind most of us flag as hippie nonsense, weren’t entirely wrong. Who knew that stripping life down to ‘walk, eat, sleep, don’t die’ could reboot something in your brain, making the noise of modern life fade like a patchy cell signal several miles past the last trailhead. The result? A raw, ridiculous, and surprisingly insightful mash-up of life lessons only a trail could teach—served with enough sarcasm to make a monk snort-laugh.

This isn’t your typical trail memoir or thru-hiking guidebook. It’s more like a middle finger to hustle culture. Packed with existential meltdowns, unwashed hiker-trash camaraderie, and deeper insights that only make sense after walking 2,650 miles, this book is for anyone who’s ever: Googled “how to quit adulthood” at 2 AM Figured out the simple math: miles walked ÷ Snickers bars = sanity Wondered if ‘inner peace’ probably smells like dust, sweat, and the hope that the next trail town has a laundromatHere’s what you’re not getting:

Another “How I Conquered The Wilderness & Became A Badass Guru” tale.

Tips on cutting your toothbrush handle to save 0.05 ounces.

Yet another step-by-step trail guide to thru-hiking.

Instead, expect to get some deeper insights, some chaos, absurdity, and moments of clarity that’ll smack you in the face when you least expect them. It’s a messy, trail-worn mix of life lessons, random insights, and just enough zen to make you rethink your entire life.

©2025 Yonatan ‘Raven' Weiss (P)2025 Yonatan ‘Raven' Weiss

Unfiltered, Funny, and Profound: The Perfect Listen for Outdoor Enthusiasts

I went into this book expecting a quirky PCT thru-hiking memoir—and got something much more layered. Blisters, Bears & Bliss starts as a story about hiking the Pacific Crest Trail but quickly becomes a sharp, funny, and surprisingly deep reflection on what it means to disconnect, slow down, and truly pay attention to life. The author blends trail hiccups with quiet, often profound insights drawn from Far Eastern philosophy.
The result is something much more than a travelogue—but a refreshing combo you don’t see that often.
What I loved most? Raven doesn’t just tell you what happened—he shows you how it felt. The joy, the trail camaraderie, the boredom, the epic faceplants, the moments of “Why am I doing this again?”—and those deeper, self-reflective layers that sneak up on you when you’re not looking after so many miles in the wilderness.
If you’ve ever thru-hiked, plan to, or simply daydream about leaving it all behind to wander in the mountains, this book will hit home. And if you’re not a hiker? Don’t worry. The storytelling is strong enough to carry anyone along for the ride.